Fuel-supply apparatus for internal-combustion engines



SePt- 17, 1929- J. M. BARTLEY 1,728,323

FUEL SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed OCT'. 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Sept. 17, 1929. J. M. BARTLEY Filed oct. 27, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOI-IN MILES BARTLEY, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL COM- BUSTION COMPANY, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OIF CALI- FORMA FUEL-SUIPPLY APPARA'IS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Application led October 27, 1927. .Serial No. 229,064.

The invention relates to fuelsupply means for gas engines, and constitutes an improvement on my copending application, Serial No. 571,721. It has for its principal objects,

the provision of improved means for controlling the supply of gas and air tothe inlet manifold; the provision of improved means for controlling the supply of hydrocarbon fluid to the superheater in a quantity 10. having a definite and proper relation to the outflow therefrom; the provision of improved means for preventing any undue backflow of pressure through the float chamber to the fuel supply line and tank; and

the provision of improved means for starting the engine reliminary tothe heating of ythe vapor crac ing or superheating means to a temperature suitable for Aits, proper functioning. One embodiment ofthe inven- I tion is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figurel is a vertical section through the apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the iioat chamber. Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a face view of the air valve plate. And Figs. 5 and 6 are face views of thel` gas valve plate, and the end of the gas valve body respectively.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the inlet conduit to an explosion motor, from which the usual passages lead to the engine cylinders, and 2 is the exhaust manifold discharging through the upright exhaust pipe 3. The inlet pipe 1 is flared at its left hand end, forming the chamber 4, and into this chamber extends the nozzle 5, having at its end, the flared caps 6 and 7 for improving the suction effect of the. air flowing to the right through the inlet conduit or pipe and produced by the rearward movement of the engine pistons. The nozzle 5 is connected by the pipe 8 with the upper end of the expansion or superheating chamber 9from which the nozzle receives its supply of gas for mixing with air in the inlet The end of the pipe. 1 is provided with a closure plate 10 having a pair of ports therethrough, the amount of Ywhose opening is 59 regulated by the rotating valve plate 11,

4plates are connected by having a pair of holes 12 therethrough of the shape shown in Fig. 4, which is a face v1ew of the plate 11.` This 'gives a finely graduated cutoff, as the plate is rotated, thus regulating the volume of air admitted for mixin with the gas. The valve plate is provi ed with a collar having the downwardly extending handle 13.

A fixture 14 is provided at the inlet end of the pipe 8, the cap portion of such lixture having a port 15 therethrough (Figs. 1 and 6), and this opening is governed by al rotatable valve plate 16, havingl an opening 17 therethrough (Fig. 5), which registers with the port 15. The plate 16 is provided with a stem 18 carrying at its end the handle 19,

by which the plate may be turned to give a graduated iiow of gas to the nozzle 9. The handles 13 and 19 of the air and gas valve the member 20, which is adjustable longitudinally of the handles, so that the relative degree of opening of the two valves may be adjusted to give the right proportion of gas and air. The collar, which carries the handle 13, also carries another handle 21 (Fig. 3), which is pivoted to the downwardly extending connecting rod 21. This rod is connected at its lower` end to one arm of the bell crank lever 21", keyed to the-shaft 21, which carries the throttle valve 24 located in the exhaust pipe. The other arm of the bell crank lever is connected to the rod 21", which is governed by the operator, of the vehicle, the control preferably corresponding in location and arrangement to the standard foot and hand gas operating means of the ordinary car. A spring (not shown) applies pressure to move the connected lever system, as above described, and including the handles' 13 and 19 and the lever 21b to position-closing the valves 11, 16, and 24, so that when the operator releases the pressure' on the foot lever or pedal, the valves are all closed, and theirv 'opening is regulated by the amount of movement-of said foot pedal or lever. It will be understood in this connection, that the showing of the operating connections, including the levers, handles, etc., is, for the sake of olearness and ,simplicity in showing, somewhat diagrammatic in form, both in arrangement and proportions, the parts being so proportioned that a definite movement of the rod 2ld by the operator will give the proper relative degree of closure to the valves 11, 16 and 24, and so that in one extreme position such valves will all be entirely open and in the other extreme position all entirely closed.

The expansion chamber 9 increases upwardl in cross sectional area, as in my application heretofore referred to, and the walls of this chamber, and of the pipe 8, are preferably covered with non-conducting coatings 22 and 23 of asbestos, or the like, in order to utilize to the fullest extent theheating eect of the exhaust pipe upon the gas. The butterfly valve 24 is also of assistance in this connection, particularly in starting the engine, as with this valve partly closed,

the exhaust pipe and the chamber 9 are much more rapidly heated than would be the case with the exhaust pipe completely open.

Hydrocarbon uid is supplied from the float chamber 25, which is in turn fed from a supply tank, not shown. The connection from the iioat chamber to the expansion chamber 9 comprises the pipe lines 26, 27 with the valve fixture 28 t erein. This fixture carries a needle valve 29, having an Y operating cam 30, and' a handle 31, operated from the end of the handle 19. The end of the handle 31 is provided with a series of .holes, any one of which maybe engaged by from, so that a relatively uniform condition of vapor density in the expansion chamber is maintained, any over supply of iuid to the chamber, as Well as an under supply, being guarded against he requirement here is, that thehydrocarbon uid shell be vaporized by the heat of the walls o the chamber, or by the walls of the pipe 27, where such pipe enters the chamber, so that l the full heating eiect of the walls of the chamber shall be applied to superheating the vapor and reducing it to a thin dry gas.

This result is best achieved in the absence of any liquid whatever in the chamber, so that the control of the hydrocarbon liquid by the valve 29 to avoid any over supply to the chamber, or Hooding thereof is important.

Thaxture 28 is also provided-with a twoway valve 32 having a handle 33 .operated from the dash of the vehicle by suitable connections, not shown. When this valve is in the position shown, the pipe 26 is placed in communication with the pipe 34 leading to the valve casing 35 located upon the upper side of the chamber 4 and connecting such pipe with the chamber. provided with a needle valve 36, to regulate the flow of liquid to the chamber 4. This device is used in starting the engine before the chamber 9 is sufficiently heated to properly vaporize the Huid admitted thereto and superheat it. At such time, the valve 32 cuts off communication between the pipes 26 and 27 and opens communication to the casing 35. The operation of the engine by the starter draws in air through the chamber 4, and this flow. past the valve opening of the casing 35 causes a flow of hydrocarbon liquid into the chamber 4 in theform of a spray, giving the necessary explosive mixture to operate the engine. This 1device is in effect a carburetter, which functions with about the same eiliciency as an ordinary carburetter until the exhaust pipe 3, and the chamber 9 'are suiciently heated to permit of a switch in operation to the use of gas from such chamber. This switch may ordinarily be made to advantage after about ten minutes of operation, inwhich the spray from the casing 35 lis used. At such time the valve 32 is turned ninety degrees, bringing the pipes 26 and 27 into communication. Vapor now Hows through the pipe 27 into the chamber 9 and the dr gas Jformed in the chamber flows throug the ipe 8 to the nozzle 5, the gas being drawn .om such nozzle and mixed with the air fiowin in through the inlet pipe 1. The tapering orm of the inlet pipe, Where it merges into the chamber 4, causes an increase in velocity of the a1r at this point, and this increase in velocity, in connection with the ca 7, causes the' incoming air to flow past t e end of the'cap 6, so as to provide a very eiective drag upon the gas iowing through the nozzle 5.

The float chamber, with its float and valve, are preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 2, the liquid hydrocarbon being supplied through the pipe 37, and being controlled by the needle valve 38, having the seats 39 and 40 at its ends. The valve is secured to a sheet metal lioat 40 having the Haring skirt 41 at its lower end in light yielding contact with the inner Walls of the chamber. This skirt arrangement guards effectively against damaging back ilow of pressure from the chamber 9, which might otherwise occur and be transmitted through the pipe 37 and they parts connected thereto. Any excess pressure communicated to the chamber below the ioat, causes the float to move up, pressing the upper end of the valve 38 The casing 35 is Y fil vau

perceptible tightly against .its seat, the skirt being pressed outward by the pressure, so that any How of fluid to the upper side of the float is prevented.

'In operation, the engine is started. as heretofore explained, by opening the valve 32 to admit hydrocarbon fluid and cut off the supply of uid to the pipe 27 and chamber 9, the operator at the same time moving the foot pedal er hand lever toy partially open the air valve l2, and also the throttle valve 24 in the exhaust, and the gas valve 11, although the latter is ineffective, since the valve 32 is closed. TheV air flowing through the pipe 1, draws vaporized fluid past the valve 36 and into the pipe 10, thus providing a combustible mixture. After the exhaust has heated the pipe 3 and chamber 9 to a high temperature, the valve 32 is moved to cut off the .flow 'of fluid past the valve 36 and admit it'to the pipe 27. The fluid is vaporized, as it enters the highly heated chamber 9, or just before, and as it rises through the chamber, is heated to a dry or superheated form, and passes through the pipe 8 and nozzle 5. It then mixes with the air in the pi e 1, and is discharged into the engine cylin ers at a relatively lowtemperature, the air inlet pipe being out of contact with the highly heated parts of the .engine, such as the exhaust pipe, so that the only .additional heat in the mixture, is that incident to the hot gas. `As the volume of hot gas to air is small, the mixture isv discharged to the engine cylinders at a relatively low temperature, which makes for elliciency in operation, as explained in said copendmg application. The temperature in tlre chamber 9 varies, depending on operati-ng conditions, but is ordinarily upwards of five hundred degrees F., and at such relatively high temperatures, the vapor achieves the characteristics of a true gas, being apparently cracked or decomposed,

with a slight deposit of carbon on the walls of the chamber in the course of time. The vapor or gas as it emerges from the chamber 9 has a bluish .tinge like smoke, which gives a further indication of a change in the composition other than that which occurs when gasoline is merely vaporized. The foregoing method of. operation results in a high economy in fuel consumption, the combustion bein very complete and Without any posit of carbon in the cylinders of the engine during a long period of use. When the engine is stopped and the foot pedal release vpermitting the valve 24 to close, the heat retained in the exhaust pipe and walls of the chamber 9 is such as to permit the starting of the engine for a very considerable period without using the carburetter mixture 35'. The system also permits of a powerful breaking effect by the cylinders when the foot of the operatorie reast the valve 36,A

' is also the case in making the valvesll, 16 and 24 to approach a cl position, while the clutch is left in engagef ment. Under these. conditions, with the i nition on, a maximum. resistance to t e movement ofthe pistons inthe engine cylinders is secured. As the valve 36 is at this time closed against a flow of liquid throu h the pipe 34, no gasoline is drawn into the engine cylinders. Under these conditions and with this equipment the use of brakes can be dis ensed with in descending practically all hills, and without moving the gear shift lever from the high speed position. A considerable degree of the eiiclency of the apparatus depends upon theentrance of the combustible fluid to the chamber 9 in the form of vapor, rather than in the form of a liquid, and this vaporizing is due in partto the heating of the end of the pipe ad'acent the chamber 9 from the hi hly heate wall of such chamber, as heretoore pointedout, a'nd inl part to the spraying effect of the closely adjusted valve 29 upon the liquid as it passes such valve. The suction effect.

vao

from the nozzle 5 transmitted through the a vapor, thus relieving the chamber 9 of the.

work of vaporizingv the -fluid, so that its superheating eiect is correspondingly increased. The placing of thee ansion or superheating chamber outside of t e exhaust pipe, instead of inside such pipe involves su stantial advantages, and is preferred, as the chamber of the form shown, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited in these particulars.

What I claim is:

1. vThe combination with an explosion motor having an upright exhaust ipe and a superheater chamber extending therealong,

one inside the other, of an au' inlet pipe ore filled, under operating leading to the cylinders of the engine a connection from the upper end of said chamber leadin into the air inlet pipe, a valve for contro ling the flow of air' through the air inlet pipe, a connection for supplying. hydrocarbon fluid to the lower end of'said cham- Y ber, a valve in said connection, a throttle valve in the exhaust pipe on the side of said chamber awa lfrom t e en 'ne, and connecting means w ereby said t rottlevalve and the valve for controlling the How of fluid to the lower'end of said chamber and the air valve are caused to niove in unison in opening and closin 2. The comination with an explosion motor having an exhaust pipe and a heatin `chamber extending -therealong so that suc chamber is heated from the exhaust pipe, of an air inlet pi leading from the atmosphere to the cy inders of the engine, a conncctionl from said heating chamber to the air inlet ipe, means for supplying a hydrocarbon md to said heating chamber, a throttle valve for controlling the flow of air through the air inlet pipe, a throttle valve p e in the exhaust pipe on the side of said chamber awa from the engine, and a common means or causing said throttle valves to move in unison.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th da of Oct. 1927.

JOHN MILES ARTLY. 

